Next Steps in Industrial Decarbonization: Progress in Global Steel and Cement Initiatives
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, this official side event will take place on Thursday, 19 November, from 13:15 to 14:45 in Side Event Room Green in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will assess progress in international initiatives aimed at decarbonising the steel and cement sectors, focusing on policies and opportunities for international cooperation to accelerate industrial transformation. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event, while Dursun Baş from IPC will participate as a speaker. Representatives from worldsteel, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), UNIDO and Tufts University, as well as representatives of the Türkiye and Australia COP31 Presidencies, are expected to participate.
From Commitments to Implementation: Delivering a Just Energy Transition – Evidence from Türkiye, Brazil and Other Emerging Economies
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, the event will take place on Thursday, 19 November, from 11:15 to 12:00 at the Türkiye Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. Drawing on experiences from Türkiye, Brazil and other emerging economies, the discussion will explore the implementation of just energy transition policies and the challenges involved. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event, while Onur Akgül from IPC will participate as a speaker. Other speakers include Rosana Santos from Brazil, Bengisu Özenç from SEFiA, and Easwaran Narassimhan from the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University.
Taking Stock of Climate Negotiations: Fossil Fuels, Just Transition and Emerging Priorities
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, this press conference will take place on 18 November 2026, from 16:00 to 16:30, in Press Conference Room 2 – Yunus Emre in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will assess developments in the climate negotiations, focusing on fossil fuels, just transition and emerging priorities. Ümit Şahin from IPC will moderate the event, with Onur Akgül from IPC, representatives of Climate Network Türkiye and representatives of international climate NGOs participating.
The Next Phase of TAFF: From Roadmap to Implementation and Global Cooperation
Organised by Climate Analytics, the event will take place on Wednesday, 18 November, from 11:15 to 12:15 at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will focus on translating the TAFF roadmap into action and strengthening international cooperation. Ümit Şahin from IPC will participate as a speaker.
COP31 Reporters’ Dinner
The traditional reporters’ dinner, held during COP conferences, will take place on Sunday, 15 November, from 18:00 to 22:00 in Kaleiçi, Antalya. Organised by E3G and its partners, the event will bring together international journalists and climate policy experts. Istanbul Policy Center will contribute to the local organisation of the dinner in Antalya. Ümit Şahin and Akgün İlhan from IPC will also attend.
Türkiye–Europe Climate Bridge: Closed Meeting & Dinner
Organised by the Istanbul Policy Center–Sabancı University–Stiftung Mercator Initiative, the closed event will take place on Saturday, 14 November 2026 in Antalya. As part of the Türkiye–Europe Climate Bridge, which aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between climate policy institutions in Türkiye and Europe, a roundtable meeting will bring together network members from 15:30 to 18:00. The discussion will focus on shared priorities for COP31, joint messages and opportunities for continued cooperation after the conference. A closed networking dinner from 18:00 to 21:00 will then bring together Climate Bridge participants and members of the MercatorGlobe Community, providing an opportunity to build new connections and develop collaborations.
The Implementation Gap: Climate Finance, Access, and Asia’s Energy Transition
Co-organised by Renewables First, Change Initiative and Istanbul Policy Center, the event will take place on Friday, 13 November, from 17:30 to 18:30 at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will address access to climate finance, gaps between financing commitments and implementation, and the challenges facing Asian countries in their energy transitions.
Geopolitics of Food: Redefining Security
Co-organised by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Center for Climate Security and Istanbul Policy Center, the event will take place on Thursday, 12 November, from 14:00 to 15:00 at the Germany Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore the relationship between food and security. Zafer Yenal from IPC will participate as a speaker.
Türkiye’s Plastic Landscape and Climate-Resilient Cities
Organised in collaboration between Stiftung Mercator, Istanbul Policy Center and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the event will take place on Thursday, 12 November, from 11:00 to 15:00 at the Türkan Şoray Cultural Center in Antalya. Sedat Gündoğdu, a 2025/26 Mercator-IPC Fellow, will serve as a moderator, while Akgün İlhan from IPC will participate as a speaker.
From Data to Action: Advancing Urban Climate Resilience through Nature-Based Solutions and Multilevel Cooperation
Organised by WWF-Türkiye, this side event will take place on 12 November 2026, from 10:30 to 11:30, at the GTF/UCLG Pavilion at COP31 in Antalya. The discussion will explore how nature-based solutions and multilevel cooperation can strengthen urban climate resilience. Tanyeli Behiç Sabuncu, Senior Climate and Energy Consultant at WWF-Türkiye, will moderate the event. Speakers will include Dr. Akgün İlhan, Project Coordinator and Researcher at Istanbul Policy Center, Sabancı University; Charlotte G. Brynielsson, Head of Multi-level Coordination & Climate City Contract 2030 at Viable Cities, Sweden; Reşit Serhat Taşkınsu, Secretary General of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality; Nicolás Azócar, International Affairs Advisor at the Municipality of Renca, Chile; and Jon Andersson, Director for Environment at the City of Lund, Sweden.
The Implementation Gap: Climate Finance, Access, and Asia’s Energy Transition
Organised by Istanbul Policy Center, Change Initiative and Renewables First, this side event will take place on Friday, 13 November 2026, from 17:30 to 18:30, at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will examine the implementation gap in Asia’s energy transition, focusing on climate finance and access to funding. M. Zakir Hossain Khan from Change Initiative will moderate the event, with Ümit Şahin from IPC, Hamza Ali Haroon from CVF-V20, Muhammad Basit Ghauri from Renewables First and Iliana Stefanova from IRENA participating as speakers.
Energy Crises, Electrification and the Path to a Just Energy Transition: Lessons from Climate Transparency
Organised by the Climate Transparency Initiative (CTI), the event will take place on Wednesday, 11 November, from 13:45 to 14:45 at the Regional Climate Foundations (RCF) Pavilion in the COP31 Blue Zone. The discussion will explore energy crises, electrification and just energy transitions, drawing on experiences from different countries. Ümit Şahin from IPC will participate as a speaker.